et."

"I think sometimes if it had not been for the work of the Oregon the
Colon might have got away," was the statement made by an admiral on the
retired list. "I am not sure that the Brooklyn, with all her speed,
could have stopped the Colon, but I think it quite likely that the New
York would have finally overtaken the Colon and stopped her."

More emphasis was laid upon the speed of the Oregon and the closeness of
her position than upon her 13-inch shells, one of which played such
havoc. The admiral was not seemingly impressed with the difference in
effectiveness between the guns of large and small calibre, but continued
to lay stress on the admirable speed of the Oregon.

"But," he continued, "the war has proved nothing so far as the navy is
concerned. The Spaniards showed no enterprise. If we had come up against
the navy of England there would have been some basis for a conclusion,
but shooting in the air, as the Spaniards did, proves nothing. They had
a fine fleet, with most modern equipment, and yet they could kill only
one man in the whole encounter."

Admiral Sir George Elliot, of the British Navy, considers that at least
five important lessons have been taught by the war. His opinions are as
follows:

"First, in state of peace be fully prepared for war in every respect;
second, the value of adequately-protected coaling stations; third, the
value of superior speed for the cruiser class, and especially for the
more weakly-armored vessels; fourth, the naval defense of seaports by
gunboats and the raising of the naval volunteer corps as an integral
portion of the naval reserve forces; fifth, that great importance be
attached to a steady gun platform for quick-firing guns, looking to the
small number of hits compared with numerous shots fired.

"In this connection," said Sir George Elliot, "I am informed that the
Americans are likely to adopt Captain Hodgett's form of bottom for their
new ships, which must give greater steadiness than bilge keels."

Admiral Sir Henry Nicholson, who was captain of the Temeraire at the
bombardment of Alexandria, and has since been commander in chief at the
Cape of Good Hope and at the Nore, has spoken thus:

"This war has taught us nothing. The state of the Spanish navy has been
for years so hopelessly rotten that when the moment for action arrived
its military value was nil. The Spanish gunners hardly seem to have got
a hit in on any American ship. Nothing is taught us as t